There have been a lot of education bills circulating around the State Capitol this session – teacher tax credits, school vouchers, financial literacy, and building a teacher pipeline. Many of the bills are still alive — having received House or Senate approval on or before Monday’s Crossover Day.
Senate Bill 88, sponsored by Sen. Russ Goodman (R-Cogdell), sailed through the Senate and is now headed for the House. It contains most of the components of Governor Brian Kemp’s initiative to build a teacher pipeline in Georgia. The bill encourages and paves the way for a smooth transition of military veterans into the teaching profession, and provides support for new teachers or teachers who receive a “Needs Development” or “Ineffective” evaluation. The bill would also add the Georgia Teacher of the Year as an ex officio member of the State Board of Education to provide teacher input more directly in board discussions.
HB 32 by Rep. Dave Belton (R-Buckhead) provides a $3,000 tax credit for teachers who are hired by certain rural schools or low performing schools across the state, and HB 287 by Rep. Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) would require schools to include tobacco and vapor products in alcohol and drug courses required each year for all students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.
Other bills passed by the House:
- HB 146 by Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) grants up to 120 hours of paid parental leave for the birth of a child to full-time educators and state employees if they have been employed by a school district or state agency for six months.
- HB 60 by Rep. Randy Nix (R-LaGrange) would add the Georgia Independent Schools Association to the list of approved accrediting agencies for schools.
- HB 681 by Rep. Bill Yearta (R-Sylvester) would require personal financial literacy classes for high school students in the 10th or 11th grade.
Education bills passed by the Senate:
- SB 42 by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) would remove school discipline data from Georgia’s School Climate Star Rating system. Discipline data would still be reported but would be reported separately.
- SB 47 by Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega) which expands the state’s Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program which was created to provide students who have Individualized Education Plans with scholarships to attend private schools. While opponents of the bill say the scholarships take money away from public schools, those in support of the bill argue that the fund provides options for these students and their parents.
- SB 51 by Sen. Bruce Thompson (R-White) — the “Dexter Mosely Act” — allows home school students to participate in extracurricular activities at the public schools for which they are zoned as long as the students enroll in one course at their local public schools.
- SB 153 by Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) creates a new category of charter schools– Graduation Opportunities and Advanced Learning (GOAL) academies– which are designed to support students at risk for dropping out.
- SB 106 by Sen. Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro) would provide wraparound services to students in Pre-K through 3rd grade before issuing students out-of-school suspensions for five or more days.
- SB 246 by Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan) would limit state requirements on student learning pods, as long as virtual learning is an option.
Several controversial education bills did not make it past Crossover Day. They included:
- HB 276 by Rep. Phillip Singleton (R-Sharpsburg) would make it unlawful for public or private schools, both K-12 and postsecondary, whose students compete against public schools, to allow transgender female athletes to participate in athletic programs designated for females.
- SB 266, the “Save Girls Sports Act,” by Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone) that would prohibit transgender female athletes from participating on girls’ sports team.
- SB 3 by Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) which would have raised the required attendance age for students from 16 to 17.
